Theater, hall, or the like



F. T. HAYES THEATER, HALL, OR THE LIKE Septw 17, 1929.

Filed March 8, 1927 f C a, I .p

Patented Sept. 17, 1929 UNITED STATES FRANCIS T. HAYES, F RICHMOND HILL, NEW YORK THEATER, HALL, OR THE LIKE Application led March 8,

My invention relates to theaters, halls, or the like, and more particularly to a disposition and mutually cooperative combination of artistic and faintly autonomic-self-glowing luminous signs or placards with or without 'a convenient form of holder attached to the back of seats of a moving picture or other theater or hall in which said signs or placards are not only capable of being used for advertising purposes but also have the additional function of indicating in a darkened theater or hall the ends of the rows and boundaries of the aisles and what seats are unoccupied.

The objects of my invention are:

First, to provide an arrangement and disposition of signs or placards which have the characteristics and functions above indicated and said signs or placards will mutually cooperate ivith each other to clearly outline to a person about to be seated in a darkened theater the location of the end seats of each row and boundaries of the aisle and enable said person on passing down the aisle to quickly determine what seat or seats in the rows are unoccupied.

Second, to provide an arrangement and disposition of autonomic self-luminous signs or placards which will carry out the functions above indicated to a person about to be seated in a darkened theater and will present certain advantages in an unobtrusive manner and without glare or in any manner affecting the vision of the person or enjoyment. of the production after said person is seated.

Third, to provide an arrangement and disposition of autonomic self-luminous signs or placards having all the functions and advantages above enumerated which will 'be simple in construction, inexpensive in its installation and requiring no skilled .electrical or mechanical artisans to install and no expense to maintain the continued and efficient operation of the invention after being installed.

Fourth, to provide an ,arrangement and disposition of autonomic self-luminous signs or placards having the functions and advantages above' pointed out which will enable theater owners vto obtain additional and large revenues by having advertisingrspace con- 1927. serial No. 173,769.

stantly visible in their theaters whether darkened or not and at the same time eliminating the present overhead expense necessary in darkened theaters in the employment of ushers with flashlights, or in providing dimmed lights at the ends of rows along the aisles, or other parts of the theater.

Fifth, to provide an arrangement and disposition of autonomic self-luminous signs or y placards having not only the cooperation, function and advantages indicated above but also in breaking the monotony of a darkened theater by addlng a faint and unique luminous decoration on the backs of the theater seats which in no way interferes with the visibility of the production, and at the same time adds to the artistic and attractive lighting feature of theaters, and contributes to the convenience, comfort and safety of their patrons.

Sixth, other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the detailed disclosure of the same and manner of its operation.

The invention consists of such structural characteristics and relative arrangement of elements which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the one sheet of drawings, in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in the figures,

Figure l is a fragmentary and perspective view of the seating arrangement of a theater, hall, or the like, with the present invention applied thereto, and

Figure 2 is an enlarged and fragmentary perspective view of the back of one of the seats as it appears in the darkened theater.

In the drawing, represents the floor of 90 the theater or hall to which is secured in the usual manner the seats 11, 11, arranged in rows and having one or more aisles 12, one of which is shown and provided with the usual aisle seats 13, 13.

14 is the stage provided with a screen 14 for moving picture productions, and 15 is the location of the musicians or organ usually provided in such places of entertainment.

Preferably on the back of the upper sec- 10 tion and side away from the screen 14 or stage 14 of each of the seats 11 and 13 is suitably fastened, secured or supported in any manner desired, an autonomic self-luminous or faintl ,v glowing sign or placard 16, which is preferably made with the common and well known radium paint or composition similar to that used in the manufacture of luminous watch or clock dials, and said signs 16, 16, are printed with or provided with any pictorial representation or printed advertising matter or a combination thereof, so that said signs will not only be visible when the theater or hall is illuminated b day or electric light, but also when the ights are extinguished or dimmed, and while I have shown said signs or placards 16 on the backs of each seat this is not necessary to carry out their cooperation or essential features of the present invention, as said signs or placards may be arranged on every alternate or plurality of aisle seats 13, and every other seat or plurality of seats 11, 11, in each row of seats.

Vith the arrangement of autonomic selfluminous or faintly glowing signs or placards 16, 16, on the upper section of the back of the seats 11, 11, it will be readily seen that when a person enters the darkened theater or hall and enters the aisle 12, said person readily sees one or more of the faintly glowing or luminous signs on the back of the aisle seats 13, 13, on each side of the aisle 12 and said person will not be confused or hesitate to walk down the aisle as the direction of the right and left sides or boundaries of said aisle are clearly indicated, and while said person progresses down the aisle in looking towards and along the back of each row of seats as it is approached, if any seat is occupied, the placard or sign 16 immediately in front of the occupied scat is invisible, in view of said placard or sign being eclipsed or hidden by the body or head 17 of a person occupying said seat, as will be readily seen and understood from the drawing.

It will also be seen that after a person is seated the luminous and faintly glowing sign immediately in front of his seat and many other signs in front and in vicinity of the seat occupied will be outlined and visible in a faint glow, as shown in Figure 2, and capable of being read or observed without interfering with the visibility of the stage or screen and no discomfort will be experienced by said person due to reflection of heat, as said luminous and faintly glowing placards or signs operate Without any radiation of sensible heat.

From the foregoing disclosure of the construction, arrangement and operation of the elements, as provided in a theater, it will be seen that the autonomic self-luminous or faintly glowing signs or placards not only mutually cooperate with each other and with the seats and disposition of the seats to quickly and eiliciently indicate the locati in of the aisle seats or boundaries of the aisle, the several rows of seats on each side of the aisle, and what seats are unoccupied in a darkened theater or hall, but at the same time provide an extensive field of advertising space under most favorable conditions as to initial expense and minimum cost of maintenance whether the theater or hall is darkened or illuminated. Furthermore, when the theater or hall is darkened said faintly glowing or luminous" sign or placard on the back of the seats adds a subdued, unobstructive, artistic and attractive decorative feature which blends with the usual lighting effects installed in movie or other theaters with little or no expense to maintain and with a considerable and additional revenue from the advertising concesy sionaires.

It will also be observed that the lulninous stall and maintain, fully and etliciently carries out all the functions and operations and has all the advantages recited in the statement of invention. 1t is also obvious many changes or modifications would readily suggest themselves or may be resorted to without departing fronrthe spirit and essential features of the invention, and, therefore, I do not Wish to be limited to the exact construction and arrangement herein shown and described only so far as expressed in the claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a moving picture theater, hall, or the like, provided with a screen and a plurality of seats arranged in front of said screen and in rows and separated by an aisle normally arranged to said rows to obtain access to said seats, the combination of an autonomic self-luminous faintly glowing sign attached to the upper section of the backs and sides away from said screen of a plurality of the seats in proximity to each side of the aisle whereby a person entering a darkened theater or hall so equipped may quickly and distinctly distinguish the outline or boundaries of said aisle, and While occupying a seat on the aisle can read the matter printed on said signs on the backof the seats in the row directly in front of the person and on the backs of the seats on the opposite side of the aisle and front of the seat occupied by the person.

2. In a moving picture theater, hall, or the like, provided with a screen and plurality of seats arranged in front of said screen in rows tion, though simple and inexpensive to inand separated by an aisle normally arranged to said rows to obtain access to said seats, the combination of an autonomic self-luminous faintly glowing sign attached to the upper section of each of the backs and sides away from the screen of a plurality of seats in proximity to each side of the aisle and also similarly placed on the backs of a plurality of seats in each of the rows, whereby a person entering a darkened theater or hall so equipped may quickly and distinctly distinguish the outline or boundaries of said aisle or ends of the several rows of seats, what seats of a row are unoccupied, and while occupying a seat can read the matter printed on said signs on the backs of the seats of the row directly in front of the seat occupied by said person and on the backs of the seats in the vicinity of and in front of said person and directly in front of the unoccupied seats.

3. A combined advertising medium, indicator, or guide for a moving picture theater, hall, or the like, provided with a screen, comprising an autonomic self-luminous sign or placard attached to the upper section on the back and side away from the screen of each of a plurality of end seats on each side of an aisle, whereby a person entering 'a darkened theater or the like so equipped may quickly and distinctly distinguish the outline or boundaries of said aisle, what end seats of said aisle are unoccupied, and While occupying a seat on the aisle can read the matter prlnted on said signs on the backs of the seats in the row directly in front of the person and on the backs of the aisle seats on the opposite side of the aisle and front of the seat occupied by the person.

41A combined advertising medium, indicator, or guide, and decoration for a moving picture theater, hall, or the like, provided with' a screen, comprising an autonomic selfluminous signor placard attached to the upper'section of the back and side away from the screen of each of a pluralityofr aisle seats on each side of an aisle, and also similarly placed on the back of each of a plurality of seats of a plurality of rows, whereby a person entering a darkened theater so equipped may quickl and distinctly distille guish the outlines or oundaries of said aisle or ends of the several rows, what seats of a row are unoccupied, and while occupying a seat can read the matter printed on said signs on the backs of the'seats of the row directly in front of the` seat occupied by said person and on the backs of the seats in the vicinity of and in front of said person and directly in front of the unoccupied Seats.

\5. A combined advertising medium, indicator, or guide for a moving picture theater, hall, or the like, provided with a screen, comprising a plurality of seats arranged in rows and provided with a plurality of aisles to obtain access to said rows of seats, an autonomic self-luminous sign or placard attached to the upper section on the backsand sides away from the screen of a plurality of end seats on each side of said aisles, whereby a person entering a darkened theater or hall so equipped may quickly and distinctly distinguish the outline or boundaries of said aisles, and while occupying a seat on the aisle can read the matter printed on said signs on the backs of the seats in the row directly in front of the person and on the backs of the aisle seats on the opposite side of theaisle aud front of the seat occupied by the person, and said signs or placards will also act as a, blaze mark in a darkened theater or hall during a time of panic, or other confusion, to show a safe path or paths to the several exits of the theater or hall. f

6. In a moving picture theater, hall, or the like, provided with a screen and a plurality of seats arranged in front of said screen and rows and with an aisle normally arranged to said rows to obtain access to said seats, the combination of an autonomic self-luminous sign attached to the upper section of the backs and sides away from said screen of a plurality of seats Whereb a person entering a darkened theater, or hall, so equipped may quickly and distinctly distinguish an outline or boundary of said aisle and while occupying a seat can read the matter printed on a sign on the backs of the seats to the front of the person.

7. In a moving picture theater, hall, or the like, provided with a stage and a plurality of seats arranged in front of said stage and,

in rows and separated by an aisle normally arranged to said rows to obtain access to said seats, the combination of an autonomic self-luminous faintly glowing sign attached to the upper section of the backs and sides away from -said stage of a plurality of the seats in proximity to each side of the aisle whereby a person entering a darkened theater or hall so equipped may quickly and distinctly distinguish the outline or boundaries p of said aisle, and while occupying a seat on the aisle can read the matter printed on said signs on the back of the seats in the row directly in front of the person and on the backs of the seats on the opposite side of the aisle and front of the seat occupied by the person. In testimony whereof, I atHX my signature.

FRANCIS T. HAYES. 

